In the opposite direction from Letenské nám., walk across Veletržní to Šmeralova. Near the corner you will find a restaurant and bar named Fraktal. Hit it any night for a great night out in an eclectic, cavernous ambiance. And don’t miss the Sunday brunch. The Ty Volé Steak and Eggs are delectable at 200CZK. Say hi to Andrew for me. Walk around the streets in this neighborhood to find a myriad of other restaurants, beer and wine bars.

Sticking with the local scene jump on the green line and head to Jiřího z Poděbrad. Take the Slavíkova or Mánesova exit. You will see a huge post-mod church crowning a nice square. Across the street there is a superb Pivnice, U růžového sadu. Here you will get the “real” Český experience. Heaping plates of luscious Czech fare at inexpensive prices and chilled half liters for 20CZK. Past here you will find Žižkov. Down Mánesova you will come across Riegrovy sady. Stroll through the park and you will find another beer garden. Though there is no view of fair Praha, the beer is served in glasses (!), there is a barbeque (usually) grilling nice red kolbasa, foosball tables and an equally rad atmosphere.

I recommend hoping on a 22 or 23 tram and riding to Pohořelec. From here you can either continue up to Bilá Hora (White Mountain) or take a stroll. Walking through Pohořelec square, one can either take the left road or the right road.

The left will take you directly to Pražský hrad (Prague Castle). The right will take you down Úvoz back to Malá Strana. One particularly excellent stop on Úvoz is the Hanging Coffee. This restaurant has superb Czech fare at unbeatable prices, especially for this über-touristy neighborhood. They also serve a scrumptious cappuccino.

Then, of course, there is Stare Mesto, Old Town. This part of town is self-explanatory. So here are a few of the better points… AMBIENTE! On U Radnice you will find Ambiente Brasiliero. The churrusco is as good as Brazil and a snap at 500CZK for all you can eat. Then there is Ambiente Italiano. Probably one of the best steaks I have ever eaten anywhere in Europe. Oh, the pastas and wines are luscious as well.

Ok, so now you are in town. There are a plethora of accommodation options suiting every level. I’m not going to go into that. In autumn, spring or summer jump on the 1, 8, 15, 25, 26 trams to Letenské nám. From here, walk along Nad štolou until you reach Letná Sady (park), maybe five minutes from the tram stop.

Here you will find the Letná Beer Garden. A hundred or so rickety, chipped, wooden picnic tables are arranged under leafy trees. A kiosk sells half liters of frothy Gambrinus, liquor, baguettes, parek v rholiku (hot dogs) and wine. The view from the beer garden is by far one of the best of the berg. The whole of Prague can be seen its medieval glory.

The beer garden tends to be packed nightly with a convivial atmosphere of Praguers quaffing excellent beer and chatting about their lives. Dogs and children run around everyone’s feet. And a thick laced smoke wafts from table to table. The park itself is a pleasant stroll to the Royal Gardens and Prague Castle past the famous Metronome, a replacement for the infamous, largest statue of Comrade Stalin.

For a little trouble making find Chateau: a virtual pharmacy, club and bar. Chiller options include Aloha Bar in Josefov. Also, check out the Kolkovna group of restaurants. They serve one liter mugs of Pilsner and Kozel alongside higher-end Czech fare at fair prices.

At Újezd you will find Újezd bar. This is a fantastic, literally, venue to hang with some chill people in wrought iron, Tim Burton-esque environment, listen to heavy metal to Beethoven and quaff Budejovice as the air fills with laced smoke and chatter of a hip Czech crowd.

Sticking with the local scene jump on the green line and head to Jiřího z Poděbrad. Take the Slavíkova or Mánesova exit. You will see a huge post-mod church crowning a nice square. Across the street there is a superb Pivnice, U růžového sadu. Here you will get the “real” Český experience. Heaping plates of luscious Czech fare at inexpensive prices and chilled half liters for 20CZK. Past here you will find Žižkov. Down Mánesova you will come across Riegrovy sady. Stroll through the park and you will find another beer garden. Though there is no view of fair Praha, the beer is served in glasses (!), there is a barbeque (usually) grilling nice red kolbas, foosball tables and an equally rad atmosphere.

This neighborhood has nearly 1,000 bars, clubs and restaurants. Stroll the streets and find one that suits your fancy. Don’t be afraid to walk down into some dodgy cellars or dark courtyards, they are usually hiding the best venues for bacchanalia. By tram you can get here on the 5, 9 and 26.

Culturally, the Museum of Communism is a good afternoon and you can buy some old Soviet knock-off propaganda posters, on Na příkopé off Václavské nám. Then there is the National Museum at the top of the aforementioned nám. What is best about Prague are the tiny cinemas and theatres dotted around the city with conceptual, modern and classical performances of most forms of art. Ticket prices are tantamount and artistry is paramount. Look for listings on Prague.tv, expats.cz or atlas.cz.

If you want to get out of the city, go to Florenc on the red and yellow Metro lines. Here you will find the main bus station. Purchase your ticket and take a short bus ride anywhere in the Czech Republic and neighboring countries. If you prefer trains, head to Hlavní nádraží, Nádraží Holešovice or Smíchovské nádraží and ride the rails pretty much anywhere within the Czech, Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary etc…. Travel within the Czech is generally quite inexpensive. If you want some good rural Czech experiences jump on a commuter train from Masarykovo nádraží (fare is usually covered under a long term metro pass) and go to any number of villages is the countryside.

National Museum, Castles, Cafe Savoy and Cafe Imperial.

Anywhere not in Stare Mesto and most of Mala Stana. Try Ujezd and Fraktal and Futurum. Or, be brave, ride to the end of a tram or metro line and go to a local pivnice.

Most arrive in Praha at Ruzyně, the airport (Letiště). The airport recently opened a new terminal for Schengen flights, which is full of all the amenities one could want. But who wants to stay at the airport? Evidently, a Metro station was supposed to be opened at the airport with the new terminal, but fell behind. The best means of transportation to get into town is the bus. If you have a few crowns you can purchase a ticket curbside. No change? Then find the DP (Dopravní podnik) kiosk in the terminals to purchase single, daily or weekly transportation pass. A single ride costs 20CZK (around $1) and is good for 60-90 minutes depending on the time of day. You can also take a taxi, but you’ll generally have to negotiate a price (don’t pay more than 250CZK) and then there are the private minibuses that can take you to a hotel. This option is good as a minibus costs around 450CZK for the group.

The bus takes around 20-30 minutes and drops you at Dejvická. From here you can either take the metro or a tram. The green line of the Metro can take you most anywhere in the center. Check the maps in the stations.

If you are confident in your destination in Prague, jump on tram number 2, 8, 20, 26. There are timetables with all the stops at each tram stop. If the sign is yellow, the tram is on an alternative route. If it is white, it is the normal route.

Very safe.

Jse Jedno Pivo, Prosim. (One more beer, Please.)
Ahoj (Hi)
Cau (Hi and bye)
Diky (thanks)
Na schladenou or Naschla (bye)
Golas e Knedlicky (goulash and Bohemia dumplings{steamed bread})
Parek v rholiku (hot dog)
Divka (girl, but usually means whore {NOT like dyevushka in Russian})
Kluch (guy {like malchik in Russian})

As for when to go… anytime is wonderful. Winter can be quite cold, snowy and icy, but around the December holidays there is the copasetic appeal of Winter Markets in each square of the city. Mulled wine, spit-fired pig, sweet confectionaries, wooden toys and beer help one stave the bitter temperatures. Springtime through autumn offers a burst of color and activity amongst all in the city.

The rest you will have to find for yourself…